


Dear Jace

by DrAntlers



Category: Magic: The Gathering (Card Game)
Genre: Angst and Feels, F/M, Hide and Seek, M/M, Ravnica (Magic: The Gathering), Song Lyrics, Tragedy, War of the Spark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26480098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrAntlers/pseuds/DrAntlers
Summary: Is it enough just to love someone...
Relationships: Jace Beleren/Vraska, Tomik Vrona/Ral Zarek
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	Dear Jace

**Author's Note:**

> I have a lot of feelings about the planeswalkers of Ravnica. I love them like family. Thus, this fic was at times painful to write... but a good pain? Triumphant... Thank you.
> 
> comments and critiques welcome!

Ral sauntered into the Transguild Promenade, casual stride obscuring the purpose behind each step. There, he saw Vraska. She had a scroll out before her, supported by her knee. With inkwell and quill, she wrote.

“Greetings Vraska. You’re here early. What’s that you're working on?” 

“Nothing. Just, uh, writing a letter to Jace.” The newly minted queen of the Golgari spoke softly, words tightly coiled in her throat. Her eyes were not quite at Ral Zarek. Was the gorgan avoiding his eyes? Ironic.

“A letter for Beleren, huh? Cool…”

“Pretty crazy. I haven’t seen him since Ixalan.” Vraska wore a soft smile accompanied by sad, longing eyes. “It’s weird because-” Crack.

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only meant well? _

_ Well, of course you did _

Vraska’s looked at her hands, covered in blood. Not an unfamiliar sight for an assassin. This time, however, the blood was her own. Vraska was bleeding. She had been shot. She was going to die.

The assassin turned, and the world turned with her. Slowly. The shock was dulling her senses. She saw Ral Zarek, an ally if not quite a friend, holding the smoking gun. She made eye contact, but with no golden glow. She didn’t turn him to stone. Her eye’s merely pleaded.  _ Why? _

Her legs gave up on her, sending her body toppling to the ground. On the floor, her last thoughts were of Jace, and how she would never hold him again. Ixalan had been a beautiful dream.

Ral Zarek watched Vraska die. He had to do it, he knows it, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less. The gun falls from his hand as his body quakes with guilt.

He was hyperventilating. Izzet engineers don’t hyperventilate but goddamnit he was hyperventilating. He was at a loss for word. He didn’t know what to do now. He had to go find Tomik.

Crack.

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only meant well? _

_ Well, of course you did _

What? What just-

Ral looked down. His fingers were drenched in blood. For a moment, he thought he was going mad with guilt. That it was Vraska’s blood on his hands. Then the pain in his abdomen kicked up.

He turned, and couldn’t process what he saw. Vraska was alive, on death’s door and dying, but alive. And she had a gun. Ral’s gun. The gun that he had let fall to the floor. That gun.

She had shot him. Vraska had shot Ral Zarek with Ral Zarek’s gun.

Their eyes met. Vraska had a glazed over expression. Hardly even seemed cognizant.  _ What an assassin _ Ral allowed himself the wry reflection, impressed by the gorgon’s resolve.  _ Even death can’t stop her from completing a mark, huh? _

Soon, the sardonic thoughts gave way to blackest sorrow. Ral was never gonna see Tomik again. He wondered; how would Tomik respond to the news? He could picture it now, the advokist deflecting with a joke to start. ‘Guess I can cancel the wedding invitations, haha.’ And his associates would laugh with him. The Orzhov are like that. Death is inevitable, it doesn’t have to be serious.

But then, the tears. Tomik will never get over losing Ral, will he? It was with this in mind that Ral, regretfully, passed.

Two planeswalkers. Two guild leaders. Slain.

The first to discover the bodies was Kaya. She had been out on a stroll, coping with the literal weight of being the leader of the Orzhov. She never should have taken that job.

She heard gunshots, one followed closely by another, as she walked past the Transguild Promenade. The streets were full, Ravnican streets were always full, but a cursory glance revealed nobody heading for the source of the noise. Suspicious.

Making use of her intangibility, she quickly stepped through the throng and made her way for the promenade. 

It was bright out. A glorious day. Her vision was a bit blurry, she wasn’t sure who was there. Then her nose was struck by a powerful odor. Mushrooms. Particularly, Golgari mushrooms, the symbol of their royalty. Vraska.

“Vraska, is that you?” Crack.

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only meant well? _

_ Well, of course you did _

Kaya was caught unawares. She didn’t have time to dissipate her physical form. She hadn’t expected the shot.

Clasping her stomach, she tried to slow the bleeding, but it was too late. A perfect shot. The work of a professional assassin.

Kaya raised her head as her vision finally cleared. She saw Vraska, bleeding out on the floor, holding the offending weapon. The barrel was smoking. Vraska’s face was reminiscent of her victims; stone.

Kaya fell to her knees. She felt a touch of relief as the weight of the Orzhov left her. She knew the risks of her work. She didn’t fear death.

_ Might be nice. Restful. _

She hit the concrete. Her expression is an odd mixture. One third pain and two thirds joy. Relieved.

As Jace returns to Ravnica, his head is swirling with thoughts of Bolas. Thoughts of the coming invasion. Thoughts of Vraska.

Wishing to get right to work, he planeswalks not to his sanctum, but rather to the Transguild Promenade. He needs to speak with the guilds, and this place, in the middle of the city, was the fastest port between them.

The first thing he notices is the scent of blood. Was he late? Has the invasion already started? Those thoughts are swiftly replaced with panic, however, as he takes in the horror before him.

Kaya. Ral. Vraska. Jace sees all three lifeless on the ground before him. How could this have happened... 

“No… NO!”

He sprints, desperately, clumsily, to Vraska’s side. He goes to cradle her corpse, but he can’t. It’s too much. Grief is consuming him. If he had gotten here sooner, if he hadn’t waited, he knows he could have prevented this. Ignored by the city of guilds, their guildpact pathetically weeps.

As the tears fall, he sees a letter. Vraska’s handwriting. It’s addressed to him. He grabs the letter, the last gift left to him by his late love, and begins reading aloud.

“Dear Jace,

By the time you read this letter-”

Crack. 

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only meant well? _

Jace looked to the source of the noise. Kaya. She was alive. She had a gun? She had shot him? Why had shCrack.

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, of course you did. _

_ Vraska? She’s… She’s alive?  _ Jovial at the revelation, Jace hardly notices that Vraska had also shot him. Or that RalCrack.

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmmmmmmmm _

Ral? What’s happeCrack.

_ Mmm, what _ Crack.

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only meant well?  _ Kaya had shot Jace again. Didn’t evCrack.

_ Mmm, whatc _ Crack.  _ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only me _ Crack.  _ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm  _ Ral and VrasCrack.  _ Mmm, whatcha say? _

Crack.  _ Mm _ Crack.  _ Mmm, whatcha sa _ Crack.  _ Mmm, whatcha say?  _ Crack.  _ Mmm, w _ Crack.  _ Mmm _ Crack. _ Mm _ Crack. _ Mm _ Crack. _ Mm _ Crack _ Mm _ Crack. _ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ What did you say? _

Jace Beleren collapsed. Dead.

The four bodies were found three hours later by Lavinia and Gideon. Gideon had gone to Jace’s sanctum, assuming that was where the gatewatch would be meeting. There he found Lavinia, who had been looking for Jace herself. The two of them set off, one motivated by concern and the other motivated by agitation, to find Jace. 

Their search took them through several places Jace was unlikely to be, including the Rubblebelt, the Conclave gardens, the Carnarium (the stairs leading to the Rakdos playhouse ate up most of the search time) and Jace’s Sanctum again.

It was around the two hour and fifty-five minute mark that Gideon had an idea. “Why don’t we check the Transguild Promenade?”

Lavinia shrugged. “Okay.”

So they went to the Transguild Promenade. Gideon was shocked by the massacre. Lavinia was horrified, but hid it well under her cool and professional demeanor. Her eyes, well trained by veterans of the Azorius Senate and years tracking Dimir agents, quickly spotted a letter. She grabbed the letter, apparently written by Vraska to Jace.

“Hey Gideon, listen to this.”

“Dear Jace,

By the time you read this letter, I’ll be dead. This is how I think it’s gonna happen. Ral will shoot me, then I will shoot Ral. Then Kaya will enter and get shot by me. Then you will enter and get shot by Kaya, Ral, and me multiple times.

Love,

Your Girlfriend, Vraska”

Lavinia shook her head at the absurdity of the letter. She had to laugh. Gideon was just confused. “What?”

“Wait, there's more;”

“P.S., Then Lavinia and Gids will read this letter and shoot each other.”

“Isn’t that the most ridiculous thing you’ve evCrack.

_ Mmm, what _ Crack.  _ MmmMmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only meant well?cha say? _

_ Mmm, that you only Well of course _

_ Well of course yoMmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that IT’S ALL FOMmm, whatcha say? _

_ ALL FOR THE BEST Of course it _

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, that it’s just  _

_ That it’s just what we need _

_ And you And you decided this _

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ Mmm, whatcha say? _

_ WHAT DID YOU SAY. _

**Author's Note:**

> next work will probably be chandra and nissa as cowboys or something idk i like cowboys.
> 
> and pirates.


End file.
